Water Sector Policy and Rural Master Plan Gets $16.8 Million Boost

Activities under the Water Sector Policy and Rural Master Plan project, is expected to be bolstered by the provision of $16.8 million in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

It is being implemented by the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change through funding by the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The project, which began in April 2011, is intended to provide access by some 85 per cent of rural households to safe potable water. This, through development of a Rural Water Master Plan, which will provide the foundation for an integrated, strategic, comprehensive and systematic approach to addressing the planning and implementation of projects.

Additionally, through the establishment of a Water Sector Policy, and Strategy and Action Plan, realistic timeframes will be established for the provision of full access to safe potable water, while the role of the private sector in water management will be reviewed.

The money for this fiscal year will be spent on:preparing Draft Water Sector Policy Document and a Draft Rural Master Plan.

Achievements up to February 2013 include: completion of the terms of reference for a steering committee, and consultant, with the steering committee established, and meetings held according to terms of reference.

The project is expected to be completed in December 2014.

By Chris Patterson, JIS Reporter